Novices: Try these bulletproof plants

People new to gardening can boost their chance of success by choosing the right plant for the right place and learning from last year's mistakes.

Dec. 6, 2013

Peppers, which are among the most forgiving plants in the garden, are shown at Pike Place Market in Seattle. People new to gardening can increase their odds for success by shopping for easy-to-grow plants such as peppers. Choose the right plants for the right place and then get them in the ground at the right time. / Dean Fosdick/Ap

Gardening is a forgiving pursuit. Get it wrong one year and you can start fresh again the next, wiser, with lessons learned.

Study up between planting seasons. Scan the seed catalogs for bulletproof plants that anyone with the blackest of thumbs can grow.

“Start small,” said Claire Watson, Wave brand manager for Ball Horticultural Co. in West Chicago, Ill. “Whether it’s a vegetable garden or flowers, don’t give in to taking on too much, too soon. A few small successes will give you the confidence to expand — or at least you’ll realize your limits.”

Learn the rules of the row.

“The right plant for the right place” may be a gardening cliche, but it’s an accurate one. So, too, is the caution, “Know your (USDA plant hardiness) zone.”

“Like humans, plants will perish without water and food,” Watson said. “So plants that can survive the stress of missing a few waterings, or can withstand poor soils and extreme weather, are the ones to look for.”

• Annuals: Dragon Wing red begonia (full sun to full shade), zinnias (“Profusion” and “Zahara”), angelonia (“Serena,” which is deer- and rabbit-resistant) and Cool Wave pansies. “Plant them in the fall and they’ll bloom until the snow flies,” Watson said of the pansies. “Then, they’ll re-bloom to be your first pop of color in the spring.”

• Vegetables: Malibar spinach and okra (Clemson “Spineless” for heat tolerance); Brussels sprouts, garlic, leeks and parsnips for cold hardiness. “Those veggies are so cold-tolerant that they can be left in the garden and allowed to freeze outright,” said Robert Polomski, an extension consumer horticulturist with Clemson University. Herbs (rosemary), lettuce, beans and peppers also are forgiving.

Annuals get a modest nod over perennials for being easier to grow, Polomski said in an email.

“Obviously, it depends upon species and cultivars,” he said, “but I’d lean toward annuals. They typically grow rapidly and begin flowering in a short time.”

A similar case can be made for seedlings over seeds, Polomski said.

“With transplants, you skip the process of germination and emergence, which can be fraught with difficulties. Nevertheless, you will pay more for transplants and not have the satisfaction of starting with seeds.”

Many of these plants are like athletes at a training table. They need a robust diet to perform at their best, especially the annuals.

“Applying feed every 10 to 14 days according to the plant food label will really boost your bloom power and keep plants from getting stressed,” Watson said.